Apple Retail Store Staff Set to Gain Raises of Up to 25%

Earlier this week, Business Insider reported that all Apple retail store staff would be receiving raises of at least $4 per hour, a claim that the site later backpedaled from somewhat as other sources from the company's stores reported in to note that they had heard nothing of the sort.

apple retail employees
But Dow Jones Newswires is now weighing in with its own claims that Apple is indeed raising staff pay by "as much as a quarter of their wages".

Employees began learning of the raises in face-to-face meetings with managers last week, according to three Apple employees in various regions across the U.S. The raises, which are based on performance, will begin appearing in paychecks around the middle of July, two of these people said. [...]

The overwhelming staff complaint during an internal review was wage levels, one employee said. Higher-level retail staff, such as its "Genius" tech support teams and "Creative" educational teams were among the most frustrated, this person said. At one store, another employee noted, a nearby competing Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) retail shop had begun poaching employees by offering promotions and higher wages.

The report notes that sales staff at Apple retail stores are currently paid between $9 and $15 per hour before the forthcoming raises are factored in, with Geniuses at the high end of the pay scale earning as much as $30 per hour.

It is unknown just how the raises will be distributed across staff and what proportion will be closer to the 25% end of the raise spectrum, but it is clear that Apple is making a significant effort to increase wages for its retail store workers in order to help retain staff and increase satisfaction amid booming sales and retail store traffic.

Popular Stories

Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
maxresdefault

New iPad Pro With M5 Chip Leaked in Unboxing Video

Tuesday September 30, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
An apparent unboxing video for an unannounced iPad Pro with the M5 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so this is likely a legitimate leak. Based on the box shown in the video, this appears to be a 13-inch iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 256GB of...
fcc vision pro leak

FCC Accidentally Leaks Apple's Next Vision Pro

Tuesday September 30, 2025 3:48 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has seemingly confirmed Apple's work on an updated version of the Vision Pro headset. One of several documents the FCC shared today references an Apple-designed "Head Mounted Device" with a model number of A3416. An included image confirms the device is a Vision Pro. The FCC's uploads are transmission tests, SAR test reports, and...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
macbook pro prime day 2025

FCC Leaks Upcoming MacBook Pro and More

Tuesday September 30, 2025 1:58 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission has confirmed Apple's work on a new version of the MacBook Pro and several other products, leaking details on the devices ahead of launch. The FCC published documents that reference model numbers that do not correspond with existing devices. A3434, for example, references an unreleased MacBook Pro, while other numbers are likely for...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...

Top Rated Comments

nfl46 Avatar
173 months ago
Well deserved. Apple stores are ALWAYS busy. I sometimes feel sorry that they have to put up with people's BS and busy traffic ALL day.

My bud is a genius. He better be treating me to a drink this weekend. Lol.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tinyluph Avatar
173 months ago
Reminds me of foxconn. $9 p/h in America, shameful.

Sadly $9 is actually pretty good for a starting wage in retail in America.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hakone Avatar
173 months ago
Kudos to Apple for taking care of their people.

The Apple store that I go to seem to have the friendliest staff I've ever dealt with.

:D
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
foodog Avatar
173 months ago
Kudos to Tim Cook and Co. for stepping up. Retail employees have to deal with some pretty extreme customers on a daily basis. Nice to see them financially rewarded.

I saw one "lady" completely lose her mind at the Genius bar when she was returning her new iPhone. The Apple store employee wouldn't give her a refund for all the accessories she bought at an AT&T store because they were AT&T products. I even tried to reason with her. She just kept yelling until the manager finally just gave her the money. As she walked away he asked if any one wanted the cheap rubber case, no one spoke up and he threw it in the trash.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
basesloaded190 Avatar
173 months ago
Reminds me of foxconn. $9 p/h in America, shameful.

For a 16 year old kid trying to sell Apple products part-time, that isn't that bad. I never made $9/hour until I got to college.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rumors-reader Avatar
173 months ago
Sadly this is true. The only thing any of the geniuses have ever done for me is swap out my broken iPhones.

Geniuses, in my experience, are an exceptional group. They do far more than just 'swap out your broken phone.' You may have been an excellent customer and not given them any grief, but I can tell you this is not the norm. An extraordinary amount of people come in with very aggressive attitudes and take it unjustly out on a Genius (e.g. iPhone dropped in water....angry this isn't covered under warranty).

Apple Retail employees, for all intents and purposes, are the face of Apple. Specialists for when a customer comes in to purchase a product, Geniuses when they have problems, Creatives when they come for training.

I think it's safe to say Apple Retail are there because they want to be and are proud to be employees of Apple.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)